Old Dominion University Finding Success with EBSCO Discovery Service™

Discovery Service from EBSCO Increases Databases Usage and Provides Easy, Customized Search Experience to Old Dominion University Users

EDS allows us to spend a lot less time in library instruction classes on the logistics of finding things, and more time on developing higher level research skills.

Ipswich, MA (PRWEB) July 28, 2014

In the year since Old Dominion University (ODU) switched from another discovery solution to EBSCO Discovery Service™ (EDS) from EBSCO Information Services (EBSCO), the library has witnessed a smooth transition and succeeded in making their library collection more accessible.

Old Dominion University was a subscriber to WorldCat Local for two years but the university’s long relationship with EBSCO led ODU librarians to test EDS for a six-month trial period and realized EDS would be a more natural fit for their users. The university took advantage of some of the customization features to ease the transition to EBSCO’s discovery tool. Colors and logos of the university were integrated and widgets were imported to the detailed record page for a custom delivery experience.

The cohesiveness of EDS has enabled librarians at ODU to spend less time training and more time focusing their efforts on other specialized needs. “EBSCO Discovery Service has simplified the process of teaching beginning level researchers how to find the resources that they need,” says Lucinda Rush, Education Reference Librarian at ODU. “It allows us to spend a lot less time in library instruction classes on the logistics of finding things, and more time on developing higher level research skills.”

Usage statistics have gone up since EDS was implemented with increased number of searches and full text downloads. EDS is used to search most of the University’s databases as well as the library’s catalog and has enabled more of the library’s electronic resources to be discovered.

EBSCO Discovery Service creates a unified, customized index of an institution’s information resources, and an easy, yet powerful means of accessing all of that content from a single search box-searching made even more powerful because of the quality of its relevance and value ranking technology.

About EBSCO Information Services
EBSCO Information Services (EBSCO) is the leading discovery service provider for libraries worldwide with more than 6,000 customers in over 100 countries. EBSCO Discovery Service™ (EDS) provides each institution with a comprehensive, single search box for its entire collection, offering unparalleled relevance ranking quality and extensive customization. EBSCO is also the preeminent provider of online research content for libraries, including hundreds of research databases, historical archives, point-of-care medical reference, and corporate learning tools. EBSCO is the leading provider of electronic journals & books for libraries, with subscription management for more than 360,000 serials, including more than 57,000 e-journals, as well as online access to more than 550,000 e-books. For more information, visit the EBSCO website at: http://www.ebsco.com. EBSCO Information Services is a division of EBSCO Industries Inc., a family owned company since 1944.